• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 oz. cream cheese, softened, or use  whipped cream cheese
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. pecans, chopped  (optional)

Wash and pierce the sweet potatoes.  Bake at 375°F for 1-1/4 hours or until tender.  When cool, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard.  Scoop out the pulp carefully, leaving thin shells.

Mash the pulp with the cream cheese in a small bowl.  Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon.  Spoon into potato shells.  Sprinkle with pecans (optional) and bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 15 minutes or until heated through. You can bake these ahead of time and refrigerate.  When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes prior to baking and reheat.

Recipe by cooking with aunt juju

• 4 sweet potatoes (10-12 oz.) pierced with a fork
• 1 tbsp. veggie oil
• 6 strips of thick-sliced bacon, diced and cooked crisp, divided
• 1-1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions plus more for garnish
• 2 tbsp. butter
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. I like to wrap the potatoes in foil, then pierce them with a fork. Bake until fork-tender for an hour or so. When cool slice off top third of potatoes lengthwise. Scoop flesh into a bowl, leaving 1/4-inch of flesh inside skin.

Beat the potato flesh half the bacon, cheddar, sour cream, 1/4 cup scallions and butter; season with salt and pepper. Pipe the mixture into the skins using a star tip. Bake until filling is heated through about 30 minutes.

Garnish with sliced scallions and 1/2 the bacon.

Recipe by cooking with aunt juju